This weekend kicks off what a Washington Township boutique owner calls the "Black Friday" of the high school prom industry. Prom night might be a spring affair, but the dead of winter, according Tricia Dowling, owner of The Red Carpet Pageant and Prom, is the time to begin assembling the perfect look.

"Starting right now is the prime time," said Dowling, a Deptford resident. "Definitely, this is the beginning of the season. (Teenage girls) are getting their prom catalogs in the mail, (and) prom committees are talking about it at the schools."

Starting before the holidays for the April or May event is considered too early, Dowling said, but she warns that many of the better dresses, like animal and floral prints that are "in" this year, fly off the racks by February.

"I don't see the economy really hurting prom girls that much," Dowling said. "But I definitely do see bargain shoppers."

Although gown designers usually do not break out sales during prom season, some dress shops might take a cue from the tumbling economy and offer sale prices on accessories.

"Many of the prices can stay the same, even the week of prom," Dowling said. "Don't wait (to buy), just shop around."

Waiting around for the prices to drop could lose a special gown to another prom shopper. Dowling said wearing a dress that a girl is not completely happy with could ruin the promenade experience -- "the most important day in these girls' lives."

To avoid dressing room lines, Dowling suggests dress shopping after school on weeknights. During the week, stores are typically less crowded, which almost ensures personalized attention from salespeople.

"If you don't want crowds, don't come on a weekend," she said. "It's like the mall during Christmas."